EN
A medical visa for Germany is issued not for a trip but for a specific course of treatment, which is what sets it apart from a tourist visa. The consulate has to see that a particular hospital is expecting you, that the treatment is paid for and that you will return home. So the paperwork begins not at the visa centre but at the hospital.
That is why the order of steps matters more than speed: every document builds on the hospital’s confirmation, and a wrong visa type can mean a refusal. Below: the C or D visa, the hospital’s documents, what the consulate adds, timing, refusals and how AlenMed helps. The visa is one part of arranging treatment in Germany, covered separately.
Medical Visa for Germany: Type C or Type D
The visa type depends on how long treatment is expected to last: a Schengen type C visa covers up to 90 days within any 180, a national type D visa anything longer. Type C is enough for an assessment, a consultation, a second opinion or a small procedure with a short recovery. If unsure, discuss the likely length first at a video consultation with a German doctor.
A national type D visa is for treatment lasting longer than 90 days: a course of drug therapy or radiotherapy, cancer treatment, long rehabilitation, a series of operations. It is issued under German national law rather than the Schengen rules and requires fuller medical justification, including the treatment plan and its expected length.
A Schengen visa from another country lets you enter Germany for a short stay but does not entitle you to long-term treatment here. Nor does “arrive and extend on the spot” work: an extension is a separate procedure at the foreigners’ authority (Ausländerbehörde) with its own grounds, not an automatic step. If a D visa is likely, apply for it from the start.
Documents the Hospital Provides
The hospital provides the core of the visa package: a confirmation that it will admit you, and a cost estimate. The confirmation states the diagnosis, planned procedures and dates, including the expected length of treatment; some consulates also require a contact person with a telephone number.
The cost estimate (Kostenvoranschlag) is a preliminary calculation of treatment costs and goes with proof of payment or of a deposit; what makes up the cost of treatment in Germany is explained separately. A medical justification of why treatment is necessary is needed too, and some consulates want it from a doctor in the patient’s home country. The hospital’s letter also justifies a companion, especially for a child or a patient needing care.
What Else the Consulate Requires
Besides the hospital documents, the consulate requires the standard set for any visa:
- a valid biometric passport;
- the application form;
- photographs;
- medical insurance for the trip, for a Schengen visa with cover of at least €30,000 in all Schengen states;
- proof of funds for living costs;
- for a C visa, accommodation and ticket bookings.
A companion applies separately. You apply at the German mission responsible for the area where you live; its website can be found with the Federal Foreign Office’s mission finder. Requirements change, so check the consulate’s or visa centre’s website at the time of application, and allow for appointment waiting times in busy periods.
Timing, Refusal and Extension
A Schengen visa decision usually takes up to 15 calendar days and a national visa may take several months; refusals mostly stem from inconsistent paperwork, and extensions are possible only in exceptional cases. Typically, the invitation dates do not match the insurance dates, or the diagnosis on the form differs from the medical report. If treatment dates shift, the hospital reissues the invitation.
Only the Ausländerbehörde, the local foreigners’ authority where you are staying in Germany, can extend a visa. If treatment runs longer, you will need a hospital letter explaining why, so apply early. Where medical grounds are genuinely urgent, a hospital letter sometimes allows an application outside the ordinary queue, but the consulate decides, so it cannot be promised. When every day counts, read about the urgent visa for treatment.
Frequently asked questions
When should I apply for a medical visa for Germany?
You can apply for a Schengen visa at the earliest six months and generally no later than 15 days before your trip. With treatment, start sooner: the hospital confirms the dates and sends the cost estimate, you pay or make a deposit, and only then book an appointment. For a D visa, allow more time, as processing may take several months.
Can a relative travel with the patient?
Yes, if their presence is justified. The companion applies for a visa separately, with their own documents, and the hospital explains in its letter why they are needed, which matters most when the patient is a child or needs constant care. Prepare both applications together so that dates in the invitation, insurance and bookings match.
Do I have to pay for treatment before the visa is issued?
As a rule, yes: the consulate needs to see that the treatment is paid for, so proof of payment or a deposit accompanies the hospital’s estimate. Some consulates require the estimated treatment costs to be paid in full in advance. Before you transfer any money, check the hospital’s refund terms in case of a visa refusal or postponed treatment.
How AlenMed Helps with Your Visa Application
AlenMed handles the part where mistakes are most common: the hospital documents and their consistency. We obtain the invitation and the cost estimate from the hospital, worded as the consulate expects, translate the medical records into German and check that the package is complete before it is submitted.
The company’s former price list included: invitation letter and visa support — €350; extension of a visa in Germany — €200. They are given purely as a guide, so that the scale of the sums is clear: this is not a current offer, the list was drawn up several years ago and has not been revised, so always check the current cost before travelling. You submit the application and give biometric data in person; nobody can do this for you. Once the visa is issued, we arrange an airport meeting and accommodation, plus a medical interpreter and personal support at medical appointments.
This material is for information only and is not an offer. The decision on a visa rests solely with the German consular authority; check the current requirements on its official website. Treatment is decided by a doctor at an in-person consultation.